The Stranger and the Slayer
by CosmicLuver
Summary: When a former trainee of Sango's father shows up, Sango is less than enthusiastic. Can Miroku figure out the secret behind this man before it costs Sango something dear to her? MirSan Rated M for language and content.


Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

Authors Note: As of now this will remain a one-shot, but that may change in the future. I have left it open for a sequel, if there are enough requests for one.

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Sango growled in frustration. They had been chasing a sneaky panther demon with at least five jewel shards across all of Japan, or so it seemed. The blasted demon just did not want to stay in one spot for an extended period of time.

Of course, it did not help matters that the entire group was still exhausted from the last battle with one of Naraku's puppets. The battle had been extremely brutal. None of their small group had escaped unscathed. No major injuries, mind you. Just enough to slow down their progress.

"Over there, Inuyasha." The sound of Kagome's voice pulled Sango out of her daze. She turned her head to see where Kagome was pointing.

"It's just beyond that ridge. I can sense it."

The hanyou growled. "Let's get moving then, wench! Before we lose it again."

The young miko's cheeks flushed in anger, and Sango braced herself for yet another argument. They had been at each other's throats for days, just another testament to how frustrated they all were.

Miroku spoke up. "Maybe we should just wait for it to come to us. After all, chasing it doesn't seem to have done any good at all. It just moves away."

"And how is sitting here going to get us closer to it, bouzo?" Inuyasha angrily bit out, turning his attention from Kagome to glare at the monk.

Sango came to the monk's rescue.

"It can't hurt to take a rest, Inuyasha. Besides, the demon seems to know exactly where we are. I can tell by the way it moves away from us just as soon as we get close. It will likely attack us when it thinks we are asleep."

"Feh. Whatever." Inuyasha stubbornly replied, jumping into the nearest tree and turning his back on the small group below.

As they prepared for bed that night, Miroku approached Sango.

"Lady Sango, let me help you with the firewood. You shouldn't try to do this by yourself." Miroku held out his hands, but Sango breezed by him.

"What do you mean, I shouldn't do this by myself? I'm perfectly capable of gathering firewood, monk."

Miroku waved his hands placatingly. "That's not what I meant, Lady Sango. I was merely trying to help a friend."

Sango snorted. "Trying to help, or wanting a change to grope my backside?"

"I would never think of doing such a thing—"

"Sure you wouldn't." Sango smiled, more amused than angry.

"I sense jewel shards coming this way." Kagome's voice cut through their conversation.

Inuyasha immediately unsheathed Tetsusaiga. "Which direction?"

Kagome pointed somewhere to the east. "That way. They're not moving very fast, though. Could it still be the demon we're tracking?"

"I don't think so, Lady Kagome. I do not sense anything."

"Look!" Shippo's high pitched voice had everyone in their battle stances instantly. Miroku moved in front of Sango instinctively, and Shippo immediately ran behind Kagome. Inuyasha took an offensive step forward. However, what came crashing through the underbrush was not the demon they had been tracking.

It was a human male. He was dressed in a violet slayers outfit just like Sango's. In his hands, he clutched two jewel shards.

He looked around the camp, his eyes landing on Sango.

He lunged in Sango's direction, only to be met with the tip of Tetsusaiga.

"Who the hell are you?" Inuyasha growled out.

"My name is Mamoru. Mamoru Shina. I come with good intentions. Just ask the demon slayer."

All eyes instantly turned to Sango for answers. She looked up, and Miroku noticed an unreadable look in her eyes.

"I know him. He trained under my father."

_Ahh. That explains a lot_. Miroku nodded slowly. A former suitor before her village was destroyed.

Miroku couldn't help but feel the subtle pang of jealousy deep in his chest. He shook his dark hair out of his face, determined to put it behind him. After all, he could hardly blame Sango for wanting to be with someone who wasn't going to be sucked into a black hole in the near future.

"That still doesn't explain how you came across those." Kagome quietly said, indicating the shards that the stranger held in his hand.

Mamoru turned in Kagome's direction and regarded her with contempt. He moved towards her, only to have the half demon step in front of the young miko protectively.

"She asked you a question, human." Inuyasha spat.

_He is quite cute_. Kagome thought.

"Women do not ask questions, nor do they speak until spoken too." Mamoru turned his head in Sango's direction, and Miroku was surprised when she nodded slightly before lowering her gaze to the ground.

_What does she see in him? _Miroku wondered. _He's so not like her. Or her family, from what I've heard of them._

Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest. "Maybe you should just leave the shards with us and leave."

"I found these jewel shards. They are mine. I will not give them to the likes of you." Mamoru turned his back on the small group.

"However, I may be inclined to bargain for them."

"BARGAIN? Are you out—"

Kagome placed her hand on Inuyasha's bicep. He turned and regarded her with anger in his eyes. She flinched, and his eyes softened considerably for her sake.

"Maybe we should hear him out, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha turned to Mamoru. "Fine. What do you want?"

Mamoru turned carefully. "I wish to speak with Sango. Privately. Only she can give me what I want."

Sango flinched at the causal reference he used with her.

"Are you out of your fucking mind? What do you think we are? Merchants? Just give—"

"I'll do it." Sango's soft voice pierced the air.

Miroku turned to face her, surprise written all over his face. He tried to make eye contact with her, but she looked away quickly.

_Is she acting like this because of him? I already didn't like him, and now this just enforces it._

"I'll be waiting." Mamoru strode away clutching his two jewel shards.

As soon as he was out of earshot, Miroku turned to Sango.

"Who _is_ that?"

"I already told you. He trained under my father." Sango bit out.

"For what, how to be an asshole?" Miroku sarcastically replied.

Kagome motioned to Inuyasha. "Maybe we should leave them alone." She said quietly.

"Why? It's just starting to get good!" Inuyasha protested.

"Inuyasha…" Kagome said in her best if-you-don't-do-what-I-say-I'm-going-to-sit-you voice.

"Fine. Let's go…give them a little _privacy_."

Sango barely noticed as Inuyasha, Kagome and Shippo left.

"No, to be a demon slayer. My father was a demon slayer, monk. Not an asshole." Sango glared steadily at Miroku.

Miroku laughed haughtily. "He's sure an asshole."

Sango stiffened. "Are you insulting my father, my village?"

"Of course not, Lady Sango. I merely—"

"Don't you Lady Sango me. I'm going to go and get those two jewel shards and I don't want any interference from you. I certainly don't want to hear any more of your insults either."

"But Lady—"

But Sango had already left. He shook his head as if to clear his mind.

_How do I fix this?_

Mamoru paced back and forth. He was a man, and as a man he knew what he wanted.

He couldn't believe his luck. He had come out of the battle with that panther demon with two jewel shards. He did not know if there were any more, but two were valuable enough. And now, he might get the daughter of the man he had trained under to boot!

He was careful, though. He was sure to walk far enough away so her friends wouldn't hear the impending argument. As an extra precaution, he had climbed down a steep gorge to further impend their progress in case they decided to follow. It would also prevent her half-breed friend from smelling anything.

A noise to his right brought him out of his thoughts. He looked, and Sango came into his sight.

"Sango."

"Mamoru."

"I see you've grown up quiet well." He circled Sango, as a predator circles its prey.

"What do you want? And why did you go so far? Why climb down this gorge? I about never found you." Sango quietly stated.

Mamoru stopped in front of her. "The same thing I've always wanted. You." He ran his fingers through Sango's long hair, his hand going lower.

Sango gripped his hand with her own and removed it, her fingernails digging into the sensitive skin on the back of his hand. "I told you back then. I'm a slayer. I don't wish to have the kind of life you lead."

Mamoru swore angrily. "I told you back then as well. You do not have a choice in the matter."

Sango inhaled deeply. "My village does not believe so. Did not believe so," she corrected quietly. "I have a choice in my own destiny. My father knew that. I can choose my own path."

Mamoru glared. "Your father was full of silly ideals about equality. I can make you my wife—"

"You cannot force me to be your wife any more today than you could back then. Just because my father isn't here doesn't mean you can't be sent away again!" Sango shouted.

Mamoru backhanded Sango in the face. She stumbled, only to be forced onto her back in the dirt by Mamoru. He slid his hand up her slayers outfit while planting a bruising kiss on her lips. She began to struggle valiantly, but to no avail. He was just too strong.

A single tear slid down her face as his hand went lower, towards the waistband of her slayers outfit. She renewed her struggles as the waistband fell away, kicking and biting and punching. It only seemed to encourage Mamoru.

_Not like this, please Kami_. Sango thought. _Not like this_.

She was almost completely nude when his hands came to her throat.

"We can't have you alerting your friends, now can we?" He purred as he choked her. Stars danced in front of her eyes as her vision went black.

Awareness came slowly. She first was aware of the sound of the wind brushing the treetops, then the pain in her neck. She also seemed to be lying against something that was breathing, but the movement was comforting. She couldn't remember much about how she got there, though.

_Why does my neck hurt?_

The memories came back with painstaking clarity and she immediately began to struggle.

"Calm down, Lady Sango. It's just me. You're alright, we're alright. You don't have to be afraid."

The despair in his voice stilled Sango instantly. She blinked as her vision cleared, and was surprised to find herself in Miroku's lap, wrapped protectively in one of his outer robes. She turned slowly, and was surprised to find that he had tears in his eyes.

"What-How did you know?"

Miroku took a deep breath. "I didn't. I wanted to…apologize for earlier. I followed your trail down to the gorge, and then I could hear everything."

He instinctively tightened his grip on her, remembering how close he had come to being too late. She almost…no, he couldn't think about the what-ifs. Not now.

He took a deep breath and continued. "I climbed down as fast as I could. But—"

Sango's eyes widened, and tears clouded her eyes. "But he did, didn't he? I should've known, how could I have been so stupid? How could I have been so weak? You must think—"

She buried her face in Miroku's robes, and he stroked her hair soothingly.

"No, Lady Sango, he didn't. He didn't. I promise."

She brought her face up to meet his gaze. "You mean…?"

"I got down the gorge, and I saw him…partially undressed. I stopped him in time. He didn't, and I made sure he will never do it again." Miroku's voice took on a dangerous edge.

Sango flinched instinctively at the harshness in his voice. Miroku noticed, and tightened his grip on her.

"Lady Sango, you don't have to fear me. I may…sometimes touch you, but I would _never_ force anything onto you." Miroku's voice hitched uncharacteristically, and he buried his face into her hair.

She began to feel guilty. Really guilty.

Finally, Sango whispered, "It's not your fault, Miroku. It's mine. I was weak, as I am now. I should have never let my weakness put my comrades in danger. I'm sorry, it won't happen again."

Miroku's head snapped up and he looked Sango directly in the eye.

Very quietly, very forcefully, in a voice that beckoned no argument, he said, "This is not your fault, Lady Sango. Don't _ever_ blame yourself. I won't allow it."

Sango nodded slowly, bringing her head back to rest against Miroku's shoulder. She shivered, the effects of the cold seeping through the thin robe Miroku had covered her in.

"Are you cold, Lady Sango?"

"J-Just a little."

Miroku hesitantly asked, "If-If I may, I think I know how to remedy that."

He slowly brought his lips down on Sango's in a chaste kiss.

And after a few seconds, she kissed him back.

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Awwwwwwwwwwww, it's just like one of those movies on television! I love it!

Read and review, of course!


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